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Launch of UK "super" union

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6 January, 2002Two IMF affiliates, the AEEU and MSF, have joined together to form AMICUS.

GREAT BRITAIN: The official launch of the merger between the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union and the Manufacturing Science and Finance union - both of which are affiliated to the IMF through its British Section - took place on January 1, 2002. The new super union, called AMICUS, has a membership of approximately 1.2 million and is the biggest trade union organisation in the UK private sector and manufacturing industry.
The name AMICUS was taken from the Latin word meaning friend, supporter, wise councillor and partner. According to one of the joint general secretaries of the newly-merged union, Ken Jackson, AMICUS will be "an expert supporter to its members, a partner to business and a wise councillor to government." Roger Lyons, also joint general secretary of AMICUS, says "we aim to organise working people in every sector of the economy."
The new union has set aside £1 million (US$1.438 million, EUR 1.614 million) for a nation-wide recruitment drive.